Sweetie's Frenemy
by TheMattdude
Summary: After Chase falls sick from sleep-deprivation tracking down Sweetie, it's all paws on deck! Sweetie is planning something, and she's not alone. Can the PAW Patrol stop Sweetie and her partner in crime without Chase's help?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So, I got this idea from a friend of mine when we got into a conversation about Sweetie. I would like to say that he is initially behind this idea, and I just turned it into a story. This shouldn't be long, probably only five or six chapters. So, as ever, enjoy!**_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own PAW Patrol_**

* * *

Chase led Sweetie back to the castle, not a word passing between them. Chase was happy that way though. Sweetie was a bit much to have to worry about, causing the PAW Patrol to have to abandon their duties in Adventure Bay to stop one pup. _Mayor Humdinger is never_ this _bad_ , Chase thought to himself. Apart from the occasional issue with Humdinger, he tended to keep to his own town these days. Sweetie, on the other hand, kept getting worse. And worse. And worse.

What she had just done made kidnapping and blaming Chase for stealing the crown seem like she actually cared about him. This past time, she went to steal the crown, as usual. However, she managed to lock up the princess and the earl of Barkingburg, then took the crown and fled. It had taken days to find her location, but when the PAW Patrol finally found her, she attempted to have monkeys throw spears at them. Thankfully, the monkeys were poor shots, but she essentially had attempted murder. Chase was driving her back to the castle, where the princess would hopefully have her pup locked up. Hopefully.

"You know the princess wouldn't let you do anything to me! I'm her number one pup!" Sweetie proclaimed. Chase merely grunted, and shoved her forward. He had her in cuffs that allowed her to walk, but only by taking small, half-hop steps. He couldn't help but smile just a little as she stumbled and fell. He roughly dragged her up, not stopping.

"Keep moving," he merely said. She tried to run to catch her balance as she was dragged forward, but Chase kept her off-balance. She was forced into a lop-sided running hop sort of thing to stop from falling. They were heading up the driveway to the castle's courtyard, where Ryder and the other pups, as well as the princess, were waiting. Sweetie's chin and chest were wet, dirty and scratched from when Chase shoved her forward, but the rest of her fur was its usual clean white. The PAW Patroller came into view over the edge of the driveway, and soon, Ryder and everyone else were visible.

Chase led Sweetie right up to them, and gave her one final shove. She stumbled, tried to catch herself, and tripped over the cuffs she was in. Sweetie fell forward while trying to twist onto her side. She gave a small yelp of pain, but bit it back quickly. Chase sat down, an expression of satisfaction on his face. "There you go, Princess," Chase said, "I found Sweetie."

"Oh, thank you, Chase!" the princess exclaimed. She knelt down to hug him, but Chase wasn't surprised when she didn't hold the hug for very long. He had gotten at best six hours of sleep over the past 72 hours, and smelled like dirt, sweat, a little bit of blood, and something that he hoped was mud. His eyes were almost completely bloodshot, and his uniform was torn in multiple places.

"Anything to help, mi'lady." Chase bowed deeply, setting the princess into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, Chase! You don't have to be so formal among friends!" she declared. Chase looked up, and caught the earl's expression towards the princess. Chase even thought he saw the man's mustache wiggle ever so-slightly. Chase figured it was probably his tiredness that caused him to see it, but he liked to entertain the thought that the earl's mustache would wiggle at every breach in edicate.

"You have been through a rough ordeal, princess. You have my respect for staying so calm." Chase continued his bow, but moved his head to look up ever so slightly. The princess was blushing, her hand to her mouth in embarrassment.

"If it wasn't for the earl, I wouldn't have been able to remain so," the princess said, touching her counselor's arm. He swelled out his chest in pride.

"Anything to help the young princess!" he said curtly. Chase bit back a retort. The earl, in reality, was the one who panicked. If it weren't for the princess calming him, the earl would've gone insane. Chase would've bet his life on it. _Well, I probably shouldn't bet my life on something like that,_ Chase thought to himself. _Why am I betting my life in the first place? Didn't I already do that when I chased Sweetie? Ah, what the heck._

"Well, Earl, Princess," Ryder said, "If you ever have a problem, just yelp for help!" The princess curtseyed to Ryder, and the earl bowed.

"Thanks, Ryder, I do not know what I would do without you and the pups," the princess said. "And I thank you for finding Sweetie for me." She looked at the white pup who finally managed to get back up on her paws. "As for you, Sweetie, you've been a bad puppy. You are going to stay in your pup-house tonight, and no desserts for a week!" Chase choked on something in his throat, throwing him into a fit of coughing. He coughed multiple times until a wad of sickly yellow phlegm was spat out onto the stone courtyard.

The princess recoiled from Chase. "Sorry, Princess," Chase said.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll get someone to clean it up. Anyways, thank you again PAW Patrol! I'll be sure that Sweetie gets punished as necessary." She picked Sweetie up in her arms, and carried the white pup inside. The earl followed close behind. Chase watched as the figures were eaten by the monolith castle. He doubted that Sweetie would be punished severely.

His ears twitched as he heard claws clacking across the stone and into the PAW Patroller. Reluctantly, he turned and walked into the PAW Patroller. He went towards the back of the Patroller instead of the front so he could hopefully catch up on sleep. He dragged a bean-bag chair to a corner by the pup-houses. He walked in a few circles then plopped down. He nestled his head between his paws, and was asleep before one could count to ten.

* * *

Marshall felt his friend's forehead for the twentieth time that morning. It was burning, and the german shepherd had his eyes screwed shut. It had been two days since Sweetie's stunt, and Chase seemed to be paying the price for all those hours spent awake without sleep. Chase's breathing was uneven, and would vary to the point where Marshall was almost having a panic attack. The past night had been very hectic for the dalmatian, between having to keep an eye on Chase and having to get sleep. He had spent more time doing the former. Twice Chase's breathing had stopped, phlegm having built up in his throat. Marshall would smack his friend's back until a sickly yellow wad flew up and out of Chase's mouth. All in all, it wasn't terribly pleasant work.

Marshall himself had dark lines under his eyes, and went around with his eyes half-closed. It was mid-morning when one of the other pups walked in. Marshall was so focused on Chase and not falling asleep that he didn't even hear the door nor the pawsteps.

"Marshall?" Skye asked, touching the dalmatian's shoulder.

"Ah!" Marshall screamed, tripping over a pillow. He rolled backwards, ending up in a heap of bandages, hot water bottles, and blankets. He blinked a few times, and noticed that the cockapoo had a concerned look on her face. "Oh, sorry. I didn't- *yawn* -get enough sleep last night."

Skye helped Marshall unbury himself from the pile of things. "I'm sorry as well. I should've realized you'd have spent a large bit of the night watching Chase. Speaking of him, how is he?" Marshall checked over himself, then walked to Chase. Ryder had placed him on a pillow in the main hang-out area of the Lookout. Ryder agreed with Marshall when the dally said that it would be a good place to keep the shepherd comfortable, but still have quick access to the Medical Room.

"At this point in time, he seems to be improving. Last night his throat got clogged with phlegm twice to the point where he couldn't breath. The worst should be behind us, relating to his throat and nose and such, but, and this is a big but, he might go back to the way he was last night. At best, I would assume a few days before he gets better. He's a healthy and strong dog, don't worry." Marshall added the last part when he saw Skye's expression of horror. She reigned in and took a little control over her emotions, but Marshall could still tell she was worried.

"Skye, don't worry. I'm not going to let anything happen to him. You should go get some breakfast. Is everyone else still asleep?"

"Yeah," Skye said with a nod, "everyone's still asleep. Without you or Chase coming, I guess we all kind of slept late. I wouldn't be surprised if they-" The door opened, interrupting Skye. A refreshed Rocky and Zuma walked in, grins on both of their faces.

"And why are you t- *yawn* -two so cheery this morning?" Marshall asked. He yawned yet again, feeling even more tired.

"I think I like sleeping in," Rocky said. "I stayed up late last night working on a project, but now I don't feel tired. It's almost...enlightening." Skye's eyebrows shot up.

"What about you, Zuma? What are you so cheery for?" Skye asked, a bit curious.

"Well, it's a bwight, sunny day! The pewfect day to go to the beach and swim!" Zuma wasn't wrong. The sun was bright, and not a cloud threatened its light. It wasn't too hot, but still a good temperature for a swim. Not only that, but there was bound to be many people swimming today. Everyone on the PAW Patrol knew that on busy days that had lots of people on the beach, Zuma would insist on being a lifeguard. Everyone suspected that he did that as well as swam.

"Well," Marshall said, "I can't argue with that. Makes me a bit envious, but hey, I'll get another chance. I'd rather make sure our friend is fine." He turned a worried glance to Chase, and the others instinctively copied him. Marshall turned back to the others. "Go wake up Rubble, then go get some breakfast. Ryder should be up, unless he forget to set his alarm." Rocky snorted. Ryder _never_ forgot to set his alarm. And somehow, he was always the first one up. Even Chase, who was up at the crack of dawn every morning, said that he said "good morning" to Ryder everyday before he woke the others up.

"Ok. Marshall, do want coffee, or tea, or something? You look more exhausted than _I_ usually do," Rocky stated. Just before Marshall could speak, Rocky held up a paw. "Know what, I'll just get you some coffee. And breakfast." With that, the others left, leaving Marshall alone with a sleeping Chase.

"I was going to say that I could get it myself," Marshall said to his sick friend, "but I guess not. So much for being independant."

Rocky came back ten minutes later, a tray grasped with his pincers. On it was a steaming mug of black coffee, as well as scrambled eggs. Marshall raised an eyebrow at the eggs. "I didn't make them," Rocky quickly said, "Ryder did. You need to make sure you get protein if you're going to stay up with Chase. Even though he's, technically, not, awake." Marshall didn't say anything, but eagerly grasped the mug of coffee. He drank deeply, ignoring the heat of it burning his tongue and mouth. He loved its rich flavor, which the other pups couldn't understand. Marshall never usually drank coffee, being energetic enough that he didn't need it. When he did drink it, which was rare, he liked it black, something the other pups thought was weird. Really, only Rocky ever drank coffee. But he usually laced it with sugar and cream.

"Ah, that's good," Marshall said after his long sip. "It's amazing what coffee can do." Rocky nodded.

"You needed it. You still look exhausted. Here, eat something. You know as well as I do how you need calories." Rocky set the tray on the floor, and waited. Marshall sighed.

"You're not leaving until I eat, are you?"

"Not until you eat every last bite." Marshall said again, then started eating.

* * *

"It's not fair, Busby," Sweetie said, "That blasted PAW Patrol ruins everything. I almost had the crown this time. Almost. I wish we could get rid of them, but oh well. We can always try again later."

"Sweetie!" the princess's voice called in the distance, "Come on, Sweetie! We're going to have tea!"

"Coming, Princess!" Sweetie hollered back. The white pup turned back to Busby. "I still can't believe that ruffian Chase would do something like that to me. He had no right! I told you to keep an eye out for the PAW Patrol, Busby. Why didn't you warn me?" She was met with silence. "Oh, the silent treatment now? Thanks a lot. I don't even know why I ask for your help." Silence. Sweetie stared closely at her robotic minion. _For being a robot of few words,_ Sweetie thought, _he certainly can convey himself clearly_. She gasped. "Busby! How dare you say that to me! It wasn't my fault the PAW Patrol caught us! It's yours! You were supposed to watch out for that sneaky Spy Chase!"

Sweetie thought long and hard. The princess didn't call again, probably satisfied with the fact Sweetie didn't really like tea. It wasn't anything compared to something such as coffee. _Coffee? Why am I thinking about coffee?_ Sweetie thought. "Ugh, I need to think of a way to stop the PAW Patrol! I can't keep having them come after me! Busby, do you have any ideas?"

"As a matter of fact, I think I might have an idea." Sweetie stared at her toy. She knew that he couldn't _really_ talk, but yet he did.

"When did you learn to talk, Busby?" she asked.

"Since I was a young child, but I'm afraid my name's not Busby. However, I have a proposal for you."

"A proposal, you say?" Sweetie asked, mildly interested, "Does it have anything to do with the PAW Patrol?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I think I would rather be rid of that pesky boy and his mutts."

"I'm listening."

"I propose to join together. You want to be rid of the PAW Patrol, I want to be rid of the PAW Patrol. It's a win-win all around." Sweetie thought for a moment. It _would_ be rather nice to be rid of those pesky pooches for good…

"I'm in."

The voice she had been hearing laughed evilly.

"I knew you would be."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Who could this be? Anyone got any ideas? I hope you guys enjoyed this. I am hoping to make this more of a light-hearted, amusing story. Just kinda break away from my usual tragedy and drama in stories. This was fun to write, and hopefully I won't hit writer's block as we go along. Until then, this is TheMattdude signing off!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I greatly apologize for not uploading to any of my stories, I've been a little short on ideas. Hopefully I can make it up to you all by doing at least another upload today. Although, it would probably take at least three more uploads to counteract the who-knows how long everything has gone un-updated. Anyways, enjoy!**_

* * *

"So how can I know that I can trust you?" Sweetie asked. A figure stepped into her field of view. It was a man, she could tell for certain. He had a big, blonde mustache and a tall hat, one that was purple. He had a large midsection, signaling he enjoyed both food and comfort. He stood up relatively tall, nearly as tall as the earl of Barkingburg. He carried himself with a certain, swagger, maybe? He almost seemed arrogant, even more so than Sweetie herself. He had a nasally voice that drove her a bit mad.

"Let's just say," he said, "that the PAW Patrol has gotten on my bad side far too many times."

"I know what you mean," Sweetie said. She rested her head on her paws. "I can't seem to do anything without the PAW Patrol coming and ruining everything."

"That's where our, agreement, comes into play." Sweetie definitely didn't like the way this man held himself. Almost like he was better than her, and doing _himself_ a favor rather than him doing _her_ a favor. "You and I, we both can't stand those meddling mutts. Always getting in the way of a perfectly sinister plot. If we just get rid of them, then we can do whatever we want without them turning up." Sweetie eyed the man carefully. He was definitely well pampered, like she was. She knew it took one to know one.

A sly plan was already running through her evil mind. "And what would you know of getting rid of the PAW Patrol?" The man paused a moment, thinking.

"Well, I guess you'll have to figure out what I'm thinking then." Sweetie laughed ending with a snort.

"You're going to have to do better than that, fat man. You're clueless. You only want someone to think for you, because you haven't been able to do that yourself." Sweetie let a sly smile spread across her face as the man's face flushed with anger.

"First off, mutt, I know perfectly well what I'm doing. Second, even if it were true, I think I would look towards someone else who wasn't also a _pesky mutt_." He put irritation deep into the last two words. Sweetie didn't shrink back.

"Pesky? Now there's a word I never thought I'd be called. Evil, perhaps? Mischievious? Sly? I think 'pesky' is a bit weak. Unless of course, you called yourself that. I know if I were you I would." Sweetie allowed a look of disinterest to sweep across her face, and she made a show of checking her claws. The man spluttered.

"Well, if you're so _devious,_ then why are you arguing with me and not seeing the purpose behind my proposal?" Sweetie, in reality, couldn't have cared less about the words he said. But, for the fun of it, she pretended like those words hurt her.

"How dare you call me an idiot! I have more brain than you do stomach." He muttered something under his breath, and Sweetie knew that she had scored a point.

"Then why has the PAW Patrol been able to stop you every single time you try to do something?"

"Because...I…" Sweetie floundered.

"I thought as much. Now, I have the tools to stop the PAW Patrol."

"And I have the brains, obviously. So you want me to come up with an idea, so you can execute it?"

"Well someone's been eating their vegetables. What do you say?"

"Yes." The man held out his hand, and Sweetie took it. "Sweetie," she said, introducing herself.

"Humdinger. Mayor, Humdinger."

* * *

"So Marshall, do you know why exactly Chase is sick?" Ryder asked. Marshall shook his head.

"Not quite. He wouldn't be this sick just from sleep-deprivation, although that probably didn't help. I think he either ate or drink something that made him sick, or came into contact with something. Whatever it is, he's going to take a week to fully recover at the rate he's improving. His temperature is still a little warm, but not as high as last night. I'm just hoping it doesn't worsen after this lull." Ryder nodded.

"All right. You're sure he'll be fine though?" the boy asked. His pup nodded rapidly.

"Of course. It seems to be just some sort of cold or something."

"Good. Also, Marshall, I'm excusing you of your PAW Patrol duties until Chase gets better. If a situation pops up where we really need you, then I'll contact you. I want to make sure Chase gets over this cold of his." Marshall nodded.

"I figured as much, Ryder. He's sleeping now, which is probably the best medicine for him. I'll be sure to let him know when he-" Marshall was interrupted by Ryder's pup-pad. Ryder shared an apologetic face with Marshall, then answered.

"Hello, Ryder here," he said.

Mayor Goodway was on the other end, and in her hair was a...fish? "Oh, Ryder! Something terrible has happened!"

"What is it Mayor Goodway?" Ryder asked. "And why do have a...a fish in your hair?"

"Chickaletta and I were starting a walk and it started raining fish! I need you and the PAW Patrol to help clean them up. They're already making Adventure Bay terribly smelly!"

"All right Mayor. We'll be there soon!"

"Oh, thank you, Ryder!" The boy ended the call and pushed the "call all" button on his pup-pad.

"PAW Patrol, to the Lookout!" Ryder said. He turned to the elevator, but Marshall stopped him.

"Do you think you'll need me on this one Ryder?" Marshall asked. He had a feeling what the answer was already though.

"Not this time, Marshall. If something comes up, I'll let you know." Ryder continued to the top of the Lookout. He waited patiently, then the elevator gave a soft _ding!_ as it reached the top.

"PAW Patrol, ready for action, Ryder!" Rocky said. "Except, uh, we're down two members." Ryder pushed a button on his pup-pad, and the Lookout screen dropped down.

"I'm aware, Rocky. As we all know, Chase is sick, and so I put Marshall in charge of him. Rocky, I'm going to have you double up and take Chase's duties if need be. I'll call Everest and let her know that we might need her to act as a fire-pup or medical pup, but until then, we have an emergency." The screen turned to a cartoon rendering of Mayor Goodway and Chickaletta just outside City Hall.

"Mayor Goodway called, and said that as she was starting a walk, it started raining fish." Ryder waited to see if the pups would say anything. Usually at this point in time, there would either be a bunch of chatter or exclamations of surprise.

"How?" Zuma finally dared to ask. Ryder held out his hands in an uncertain gesture.

"I'm not sure. It's impossible for fish to rain from the sky, so I think someone was behind this. I think we sho-" Ryder almost finished but was cut off.

"It's Humdinger," Skye said bluntly. The leader of the PAW Patrol looked at her curiously and mildly surprised. Skye usually wasn't the one to point fingers- or, paws.

"What makes you say that?" Rocky asked. Skye shrugged.

"We all know how much Mayor Humdinger despises Adventure Bay. I would bet he's behind this."

Ryder held up a hand. "While it's a valid theory, Skye, we don't know it's him for sure. I'll keep an open mind on your thoughts. Anyway," Ryder changed the screen to Rubble's pup-tag. "Rubble, I need your shovel and your rig to help carry the fish out of the area, and get them to Captain Turbot."

"Rubble on the double!" the bulldog said, stamping his paw as he did so. Ryder swiped the pup-pad again, and Rocky's pup-tag appeared on the screen.

"Rocky, I need you to construct some sort of wagon to carry any fish that don't fit in Rubble's shovel."

Rocky stepped forward, a cheerful grin on his face. "Don't lose it, reuse it!"

"And finally," Ryder said, tapping his pup-pad, "Zuma, I need you to go and tell Captain Turbot that we have some fish for him. That way, when we arrive with the load of fish, he's prepared to handle them."

"Weady, set, get wet!" Zuma howled.

"All right! PAW Patrol is on a roll!" Ryder shouted. He grasped his fireman's pole and slid down. The four pups cheered and yipped in excitement, and three of the four quickly ran towards the slide. Skye waited until she heard sirens, then without missing a beat, she barked down the periscope. It slowly descended. Skye impatiently tapped her paw on the ground as it came down, and gave an irritated sigh when it stopped several feet above her head.

Looking around for chairs, Skye tried to watch what was going on from the windows. They didn't offer her any good views of the scene. Sighing in defeat, she went to the elevator. _May as well see how Chase is doing,_ she thought as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

"Oh, Ryder! Thank goodness you made it here so fast!" Mayor Goodway exclaimed. Ryder barely stopped his ATV and took his helmet off when she started talking again. "These fish are making Adventure Bay terribly smelly! Please do something, and fast!" Ryder nodded.

"Will-do Mayor Goodway. Rubble, start working on clearing the fish around City Hall. It appears most of the fish are there so you should make good headway."

"Let's dig it!" the bulldog said. His rig burbled its way to City Hall.

Ryder turned to his other pups. "Zuma, I need you to go find Captain Turbot. He might need some help building something for this many fish, so just stay with him until we get there."

"Let's dive in!" Zuma couldn't help but shout. The hovercraft glided away from them.

"And Rocky, do you think you have anything in the back of your truck that has the parts to build some sort of trailer or holding unit for any extra fish?"

"I most certainly do, Ryder," Rocky said. He opened the back of his truck, and jumped inside. He started throwing objects out. An old spatula went flying. A pair of moldy bunny slippers chased after it. An old Bel Air grill came flying out next, quickly followed by a set of bike tires. Ryder couldn't help but giggle a little at the comical sight. He burst out into a fit of laughing as Rocky dragged out an old door. The mixed breed growled at the door as it got stuck, and he tried yanking on it harder. It didn't budge. He pulled harder. Ryder heard a groan come from the door as the wood bent and started to twist.

"Uh, Rocky? I wou-" Ryder started, but he got no farther. The was an ear-splitting _CRACK!_ as the door burst into splinters. Rocky gave a yelp of surprise and tumbled backwards at the sudden release of energy. He sat there in a daze as Ryder ran forward. "Rocky, are you okay?" asked Ryder, voice laced with concern.

Rocky shook his head, then smiled. "I'm good. I guess doors are pretty good at tug-of-war." Both the pup and Ryder laughed. The spiky-haired boy helped his pup up off the ground, brushing him off as he did so.

"You have what you need, Rocky?" Ryder asked. The Eco-pup nodded.

"I certainly do. I should have it put together in a jiffy!" Ryder turned to help Ryder as the sounds of hammering rang out.

* * *

Rubble was glad he kept clothespins in his rig. After the whole incident with Everest getting sprayed by a skunk, the pups all secretly agreed to keep clothespins in their vehicles. Just in case. _Turns out to be handy today,_ Rubble thought to himself. He shovelled another pile of fish into his rig's blade. He was definitely going to need a bath afterwards. The young pup shivered in excitement. He _loved_ baths, and just the thought of one made him start to work faster. Rubble piled fish after fish into his rig, not even noticing most of them kept falling out because the blade was full.

He was so enveloped in his task that he didn't even notice Ryder approaching. "Um, Rubble?" Ryder asked. No reaction. "Rubble?!" Ryder asked again, a bit more loudly. The bulldog jumped up in the air and lost all the fish in his shovel. Rubble turned to Ryder, his face still wearing a startled expression. "I think your rig is full." Ryder swept a hand towards the yellow bulldozer, and Rubble's eyes followed. He stopped, then grinned sheepishly back at Ryder.

"Yeah, I guess so. I think I got a little carried away when I was working," Rubble stated. Ryder couldn't help but laugh, and Rubble quickly joined him. It was a moment before they stopped. "When do you think Rocky is going to be done with his wagon?" the bulldog said with a small chuckle.

"Right about now!" Rocky called out. Behind him was a massive cart, that was at least fifteen feet long and eight feet wide. He panted as he pulled it the last few feet towards Rubble's rig, then dropped from exhaustion when he finally reached it. "One, *pant* extra large, *pant pant* wagon." Ryder couldn't help but smile at the comedy of the situation. He knelt down to pat Rocky's head.

"Thanks, Rocky. This will work perfectly!" Ryder complimented. Rocky smiled at the praise. It always felt good to be recognized.

* * *

Captain Turbot's boat, _The Flounder,_ was rapidly growing larger. The hovercraft gracefully glided across the open water towards the boat, not a wave disrupting the smooth ride. Zuma didn't have time to admire his hovercraft's capabilities though. He was on a mission, and he couldn't let Ryder down. Killing power to the props, the hovercraft slowly lost speed as it drifted to the side of _The Flounder_. Zuma had done it on hundreds occasions, and had learned how far it liked to glide under its own power. It sidled right next the ship, and Captain Turbot was already at the railing.

"Ahoy, Zuma!" Captain Turbot said, a smile decorating his face. "And what can I do for you on this perfectly pleasant day?"

"Captain Tuwbot," Zuma replied, not exchanging pleasantries. "Do you think you could help Wydew and us pups with a problem?" The captain nodded rapidly.

"Well, of course! Always happy to be of assistance!"

Zuma explained the problem that was plaguing Ryder and, more specifically, Town Hall. "Mayor Goodway called Wydew, and somehow it stawted waining fish. Do you think you could help us move them somewhewe else?" Captain Turbot was all too eager to be of help.

"I have the perfect place! Lead the way, Zuma!" The captain ran up to his ship's controls, and followed Zuma as the orange hovercraft sped away.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, I guess that answers who wanted to work with Sweetie! I guess I meant the question last chapter as more of a fore-shadowing thing than something to actually answer, as I didn't really make it too hard. But, I have to thank my friend for giving me the idea of Sweetie and Mayor Humdinger. The best part is, he probably doesn't even realize he gave me the idea XD. Hopefully I can update a bit more, as I finished study/exam weeks for school. Until then, this is TheMattdude signing off!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Alright, here's a new update to this story! I apologize for the EXTREMELY long wait for this story, but I have been all over the place between "A New Generation" and something else I am working on. Anyways, enjoy!**_

* * *

"Ooo, yeah! Right there!" Rubble said to Katie. She giggled a little, and continued rubbing the bulldog's back. The scent of fish was being washed away, but a little remained. Only time would fully get the scent out of his fur. Rocky looked worriedly towards the empty tub next to Rubble and Katie. Zuma was in a different tub, maintaining a sleeping profile. His eyes were closed and his nose was just above the water, his hind legs poking out of the other side of the tub. Bubbles around his mouth could be seen occasionally.

"Well, Rocky, it's bath time," Katie said, standing up after finishing with Rubble. If Rocky didn't have fur, Katie would've seen his face go stark white. He turned to run but Katie grabbed him before he could leave.

"No! No no no!" Rocky shouted. He struggled like someone was trying to torture him. However, Katie's grip was like iron as it, ironically, was Rocky's struggling that made her so strong. She plunged him into the tub, him spluttering and spitting out water as he thrashed around. He eventually stopped as he realized the water didn't even reach his shoulders. However, Katie on the other hand, was soaked from head to toe. She merely sighed.

"Rocky, every time you do this, and every time it's no different," she said tiredly.

Rocky merely huffed at her. "You aren't the one that's being thrown into water against their will." Katie shook her head in response, and started scrubbing Rocky with shampoo.

* * *

Ryder stared at the screen. He watched video recordings of traffic cameras that had recently, and quite conveniently, been installed. Wanting to figure out who had made it rain fish, he watched the recorded video from a few minutes before Mayor Goodway had called. Without Chase's nose or detective skills, Ryder had to become a detective himself. It only reminded him of how big of a role Chase played in the PAW Patrol.

Ryder paused at one traffic camera. It was angled a peculiar way so that most of City Hall was visible. He watched as a kitten came up behind the statue of Great-great-great-great Grandpa Groover and a launcher came out of the pack it was wearing. Fish started flying out, and Ryder sighed. He would still never know how Mayor Humdinger had gotten his hands on the blueprints for the pup-packs.

"Well, it looks like we know who our culprit is," Ryder said to himself. He turned off the computer. Walking into the elevator, he tapped his foot as it went down. A song was playing in his head, one that was popular. He started whistling "Pup Like Me" by Luke Stars. He was walking out of the elevator when he froze. Luke Stars was holding another concert in Adventure Bay in two days. Logically, it would be the place that Mayor Humdinger would try to strike next. Ryder shook his head sadly. Mayor Humdinger's greed had caused everyone more harm than joy.

"Hi, Ryder," Marshall said. Chase was asleep a few feet from the dally.

"Hi, Marshall," Ryder said. Ryder bit his lip. "Marshall, do you think Chase would have any chance of recovery, or at least the ability to perform his PAW Patrol duties before the Luke Stars concert?" Marshall stared deeply at Ryder.

"Absolutely not. I would say he could return to his duties in four days at the very least. He needs to rest, not run around. Why, is something wrong?" Ryder nodded.

"Yeah. Mayor Humdinger is behind today's 'Fish Rain', and I get the feeling that he will try and go after the Luke Stars concert. I was hoping Chase could be up and making sure that nothing happened at the concert, but I respect your judgement." Marshall gave vent to an angry sigh.

"Mayor Humdinger gets away with too much. Why don't we just arrest him?" Ryder was already shaking his head.

"We can't. It's not up to us. He lives and works in Foggy Bottom, so it would have to be the police department there that arrests him."

"Well surely we can press charges against him at least?" Ryder shook his head again.

"None of them would stick. We could try to press charges for vandalism and such, but he's too careful for that. It's always his kittens that do it, and he'd end up saying that they were working of their own accord. It might not bode well for the already tension-filled relationship they share, but he'd do it anyway." Marshall growled. It startled Ryder, never actually hearing Marshall growl at anything before.

"That man is evil. He would rather ruin our town than improve his. He would rather let his kittens take the fall instead of himself." Marshall looked at Ryder with a hard light in his eyes. "I don't care what you have to do. Make sure that _thing_ ," Marshall spat, "doesn't hurt anyone." Then, in the span of a finger snap, the hard light in Marshall's eyes left. A tired look made itself present in his ocean-blue eyes. "Too bad Chase isn't up. He'd know what to do." Ryder regarded Marshall carefully. The young dalmatian had so much responsibility, trying to help his friends and the rest of Adventure Bay. Thinking about it, all of the pups had great responsibilities. Chase and Marshall beared the brunt of it, with the others chipping in as needed. Ryder leaned down to ruffle the fur on top of Marshall's head.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone," Ryder said. The boy continued walking, the Lookout doors sliding open as he walked through. It really was a nice day. Plenty of people were playing at the beach, swimming, building sand castles. Something that Foggy Bottom never really could do. Ryder realized that he would be jealous of Adventure Bay as well if he were the mayor of Foggy Bottom. Shaking his head, he made his way to his ATV. It was time to pay Mayor Humdinger a visit.

* * *

Mayor Humdinger was humming to himself. He was seated on his favorite bench in his town, Foggy Bottom. The old bench creaked slightly as he shifted his weight. The solitary lamp-post reflected eerily of the fog that had gathered. The night was chill, but it almost always was. The town was farther north than Adventure Bay, and being right next to the ocean created a state that was almost always foggy. Again, hence the name Foggy Bottom.

His eyes took on a hazy, far-away look. To be honest, he was expecting a visit from someone. They weren't necessarily friends, but they had a mutual agreement. Didn't mean he had to like it though.

"A bit of a dreary place, isn't it?" a female voice came. It was young, and was laced with a British accent. Humdinger found it annoying, but wished he had an accent.

"It may not be much, but it's home," he countered. A white pup came up into his peripheral vision. She hopped up onto the bench. Out of the corner of his eye, Mayor Humdinger was interested in her suit.

"I guess I can't argue with that," Sweetie said. Silence reigned a few minutes, the other not really wanting to talk. "I take it you were successful?" Sweetie asked at length. This caused Mayor Humdinger's temper to explode.

"No I wasn't, blast it! Those meddling mutts ruined it!" Sweetie glanced sidelong at him. His mustache was twitching again. "Such a brilliant plan too." Sweetie snorted at this.

"Brilliant? Launching fish at City Hall? How would that stop the PAW Patrol? My traps can't even do that, let alone some half-hearted scheme."

"Half-hearted!? I'll have you know I was up all night last night thinking it through!" the mayor huffed indignantly.

"Well," Sweetie said with a giggle, "looks like you cou-"

A buzz came floating to her ears. It wasn't bees though. It was Ryder's ATV.

"Blast it!" Sweetie said angrily, "The PAW Patrol is coming! I need to hide!" She looked around to try and find decent cover, but there was nothing on the small hill.

Mayor Humdinger's head turned to see Ryder just down the road.

"C'mere!" the mayor said, grabbing Sweetie. She gave a little yelp of indignation, but she bit it off when she saw Mayor Humdinger take off his hat. Good thing she was a small pup.

Ryder pulled over and took off his helmet. He looked to his left, and saw Mayor Humdinger sitting on that same bench reading a newspaper. The boy calmly walked up to Humdinger, trying to avoid tripping on the cobblestone pathway. Mayor Humdinger looked up at Ryder as he heard him approaching.

"Why, hello, Ryder! And what might you be doing in my wonderful city today?" the mayor asked cheerfully. Ryder didn't return the man's smile.

"I've come to ask where your kittens were earlier today," the PAW Patrol leader said seriously.

"They've been here with me, all day!" Mayor Humdinger huffed. He said it just a little too quickly for Ryder's taste.

"I don't think so. I have evidence of one of your kittens causing trouble in Adventure Bay….again. I was wondering if you had any clue as to what ha-" Ryder paused when Mayor Humdinger's hat moved ever so slightly. It wasn't a natural movement, like the tilt of the head would dictate. Mayor Humdinger hadn't moved when the hat did.

" _My_ kittens? They would never do such a thing!" Ryder rolled his eyes at the older man's antics. He didn't find it amusing, just more irritating than anything else.

"I have it on video. Please don't let it happen again," Ryder offered.

"I promise it won't! I'll make sure my kittens don't get any treats tonight for their actions!" Ryder was about to answer, but heard a small giggle. Well, he wasn't even sure if he _heard_ one. He had heard something that was on the limit of his hearing, and it made him a little wary.

"Ok. If it happens again," Ryder finally got around to saying, "I'll be sure to let you know." He turned to leave. As he was walking towards his ATV, Mayor Humdinger called out to him.

"Sure thing, Ryder!"

Donning his helmet and starting his engine, Ryder turned around and drove back to Adventure Bay.

Mayor Humdinger took off his hat, peering in to see Sweetie, bent like a pretzel. She gave him a hard glare.

"Don't ever do that again." Humdinger didn't feel sorry for her though. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and picked her out of the hat none too gently. The white pup shook her fur when Humdinger set her down, smoothing the patch of fur on the back of her neck. "Well, now he knows it was you. My turn!" Humdinger recoiled slightly at the enthusiasm in her voice. And it wasn't the good kind.

* * *

"So, pups," Ryder said, "I've called you here to address the 'elephant in the room', as it were." Ryder was back at the Lookout, and had called all the pups together. Chase was half-awake, taking little interest in the proceedings. Marshall was sitting right next to him, glancing worriedly from his friend to his leader and owner. The rest of the pups were in a loose semi-circle.

"It turns out Mayor Humdinger was behind the fish incident-" Ryder said, but got interrupted by Skye.

"I told you!" she bristled. Ryder waved a hand at her.

"I know you did Skye. It was an accurate call to make, but next time try not to jump to an end without more information. Anyway, Mayor Humdinger was behind the fish incident. However, I don't think he's working alone now." Several gasps escaped the pups' throats. Chase merely perked his ears at the collective intake of breath.

"When I spoke to Humdinger earlier, something felt off. Now, I'm not saying this for certain, but I think he is working with someone. I didn't see anyone, but his hat was acting funny."

"His hat?" Rubble asked. "Why would his hat be acting funny?"

"Because it's a clown hat!" Marshall yelled. Most of the other pups broke into laughter, with only Rocky and Chase staying quiet. The latter a bit more disconnected than the former.

Ryder spoke after filling his lungs with air after laughing. "Not a clown hat, Marshall. It moved when I was talking to him. That wasn't the strangest part though. When I said something, I heard someone giggle. I didn't see anyone, but I know I heard them."

"So we know Mayor Humdinger is behind this," Rocky said, "but he might have someone helping him?" Ryder nodded.

"That's what it looks like." Rocky furrowed his brow in thought.

"Would've had to be someone small enough to fit in a hat. Who do we know that's small enough to do that, yet bold enough to work with Humdinger?" Rocky asked.

"Humdinger has a big hat though," Rubble said. "It could be anyone."

"Anyone smaller than Zuma," Rocky said. Said pup nodded.

"Yeah, dudes. I couldn't fit in that hat even if I wanted to."

"It would have to be someone as small as me," Skye piped up.

Marshall added in at this point as well. "We stopped someone who matches that description." All eyes turned to him, and he shrunk back to try and escape being the center of attention. Rocky face-palmed.

"Of course!" he said, making all eyes turn to him instead. "It would have to be Sweetie. She's the only one who could do that." Ryder nodded in agreement.

"That's a plausible theory," the boy said. "It would help to explain a lot. Why don't we-" The pups wouldn't get to hear the end of that idea as Ryder's Pup Pad rang. He gave an apologizing look to the pups as he walked into the elevator to answer.

Once he was alone in the elevator, Ryder accepted the call. It was Farmer Yumi.

"Hello, Ryder here."

"Ryder, please help! Emma and Corny ran off again. The gate's lock must've broke, and they're running away! Please hurry!"

"Will do, Farmer Yumi. No job is too big, no pup is too small!" Ryder opened the bottom of his pup-pad, pressing the "call all" button. "PAW Patrol," he said, "to the Lookout!"

"Ryder needs us!" the pups yelled. Marshall looked wistfully at his friends as the elevator disappeared.

"Well, Chase, looks like it's just you and me." Naturally, the sick pup made no reply.

* * *

"PAW Patrol, ready for action, Ryder, sir!" Rocky shouted. A giggle ran through the rest of the pups.

"Thanks for getting here so quickly, pups," Ryder said, pressing his pup-pad's screen. The big screen slid down. "It looks like we have to save Emma and Corny. Again." A small sigh ran through the pups.

"Deja vu," Rubble said. Ryder nodded.

"We've been in a situation much like this before pups, so we should know what to do." Ryder swiped his pup-pad, changing to Skye's pup-tag. "Skye, I need you to fly up and find where Emma and Corny are."

"This pup's gotta fly!" Skye shouted, doing a backflip as she did so.

"Rocky," Ryder said, swiping to the mixed breed's pup-tag. "I need you to repair the fence gate lock, as it broke."

"Don't lose it, reuse it!" Rocky shouted proudly.

"And Rubble." The bulldog's tag appeared on-screen. "I need you to use your bulldozer to carry corn to lure Emma and Corny back to the farm."

"Rubble on the double!" he said, stamping his paw on the ground.

"Great!" Ryder said, "PAW Patrol is on a roll!" He ran to his fireman's pole and slid down. Time for another mission.

* * *

 _ **A/N: And there is that! Hopefully I can get the next chapters for this and "A New Generation" out soon, but again, no promises. Once summer rolls around I should have a lot more free-time, which hopefully means I will have plenty of ideas. This story will be done well before then though, so no need to wait that long. I also want to say thank you to those who are sticking with FanFiction in this time of...well, don't know what to call it other than silver-chips spam. That, combined with all the "drama" surrounding The Last Wolves makes it hard to want to keep writing. Regardless, it always makes me happy being able to share my stories with y'all and seeing the excitement for the next chapters. Until then, this is TheMattdude signing off!**_


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, Ryder! Thank you for coming so quickly!" Farmer Yumi said. "Emma and Corny ran off towards the pond, and they can't swim!"

"Don't worry, the PAW Patrol is here to help!" Ryder said. He immediately began sending off pups. "Skye, I need you to fly above the farm to try and find those two pigs."

"Ruff, ruff! This pup's gotta fly!" she yipped happily. The roaring of the helicopter increased, gradually fading away as the cockapoo started the search.

"Rubble," Ryder continued, "I need you to load your rig with corn to try and lure Corny and Emma to you."

"Let's dig it!" Rubble shouted.

Farmer Yumi spoke up as well. "Rubble, I can help you find some corn. Follow me." Farmer Yumi started walking towards the silo, with Rubble creeping his rig forward ever so slowly.

"Rocky, let's start fixing this gate latch." The mixed breed looked happily at his owner.

"Green means go!"

The pair walked to the pen where the pigs were kept, everything seeming to be in order. Rocky looked carefully at the mud in the pen, resolving to try and stay away from it. Ryder knelt down carefully, studying the latch. Rocky examined the latch as well. Ryder fingered it with a look of understanding.

"Rocky," he said, still staring at the latch, "this looks like-"

"-someone sawed it," the mixed breed finished. Ryder nodded.

"Someone wanted these pigs to get loose. Someone wanted us here. But why?"

"Ba-gawk!" a chicken shouted. Both Ryder and Rocky started in surprise, with the latter jumping in the air. He crashed to the earth moments later, landing directly in the pig pen. Thick, gloppy muck covered him. Rocky moaned loudly in anger.

"No! Now I have to take a bath!" Ryder tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help but let out a small giggle through his hands. If looks could kill, Ryder decided, he would definitely have been killed by Rocky's glare.

Sighing, Ryder said, "come here, pup. We have a latch to fix." He held his hand out for Rocky, who trudged through the muck. Ryder grabbed his collar and pulled Rocky out. His nose wrinkled as he caught a whiff of Rocky up closely. "Rocky, you're going to need a bath."

Rocky stuck out his bottom lip. "Dang chicken. It's all your fault!" he shouted, pointing at the culprit.

"Ba-gawk!"

* * *

"How's Chase doing, dude?" Zuma asked Marshall. Marshall checked the thermometer in Chase's mouth, then turned to Zuma.

"Well, he still has a high fever. The worst is behind us at this point, but he just needs rest. He shouldn't wake up for a while just because his body is making itself recuperate." Zuma looked at his sleeping friend.

"I hope he feels bettew soon." Marshall placed a paw on Zuma's shoulder.

"Best thing we can do now is hope for the best." Zuma nodded, yet didn't leave.

The door glided open, causing both pups to turn to see who entered.

"Hi, pups," Katie said. "Ryder called me and told me what happened. How's Chase doing?"

"Hi Katie," Zuma and Marshall both said.

"He's doing a little better, still has a high fever," Marshall said, "but he should be doing better. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly caused him to be sick. He's still resting, in fact he'll probably be doing that for the next couple days."

Katie went down her knees to examine Chase. Marshall watched her closely as the girl gently pried open Chase's mouth. The sleeping pup offered no resistance to Katie's hands.

"Marshall, can you give me a light?"

"Certainly," the dalmatian replied. "Arf! Light!" The light on his EMT helmet came on, and he shined it in Chase's mouth.

"Well," Katie said, gently letting Chase's mouth close, "his throat's red. I was expecting as much, but it never hurts to check. Anything else?"

"Not really. Just a red throat, a temperature, and that's about it. Last night he stopped breathing twice due to phlegm clogging his throat. I get the feeling it's something like pneumonia. A very weak form of it."

Katie nodded. "That's probably what it is. Any predictions when he'll wake up?" Marshall bit his lip at that question.

"I don't know."

* * *

"Rocky, look at this," Ryder said.

Rocky decided that Ryder's statement was a bit unnecessary, as he was already looking at it, but Ryder was merely observing it.

The latch was in a clean two pieces. Where it broke was linear, almost like someone had sawed it. One half of the latch was dangling meekly from the gate itself, the other half barely holding onto the round eye of the latch.

"Looks like someone cut it," Rocky said to Ryder.

Ryder grimaced. "Yes, it does."

The two stared for a long moment at it, as if it would fix itself. Without a word, Rocky went to the back of his truck. Objects started flying out of it, and Ryder cautiously approached. A rubber duck came out, followed by a bent trumpet that didn't work. Three doorknobs were thrown in rapid succession, reminding Ryder of a machine gun. Rocky come out, but not with wood. It was a 1955 Chevy Bel Air grill.

"Almost forgot I had this," was all Rocky said as he set it gently on the ground. He vanished into his truck. "Found it!" Rocky came out, dragging a long board. Rocky kept walking away from his truck, and walking, and walking. Ryder thought it must've been at least fifteen feet long. The storage compartment of the Mixed Breed's truck was only eight feet deep.

"How do you- oh, nevermind," Ryder said, shaking his head. Rocky grinned at him.

* * *

The wind roared around her. Skye looked over the cockpit wall to try and find the two pigs. She looked back and forth across the land. No sign of the swine. _Hey, that kinda rhymed,_ Skye thought to herself. The Cockapoo shook her head to clear it. She was about to update Ryder that they weren't anywhere in sight when she spotted something. Two little shapes were scurrying across the land, as if playing tag with one another.

She excitedly turned her pup-tag on. "Ryder, I found Emma and Corny. They're running through the northwest side of the forest."

" _Great work, Skye!_ " Ryder said over her tag, " _The pen is almost finished. Rubble_ "

" _Here, Ryder._ "

" _I need you to use the corn you and Farmer Yumi got to lure Emma and Corny back to the pen._ "

" _Let's dig it!_ "

Skye's pup-tag fell silent.

* * *

"Here, pig, pig, pig! Want some corn?" Rubble shouted for the third time. When Skye had told him he was close, he would've expected to find at least one of the pigs after a few minutes. "Thanks for the terrific directions, Skye," Rubble muttered. He continued to drive around, calling for Emma and Corny the whole time.

" _Rubble, to your right! They're nearby!_ " Skye's voice came over his pup-tag, startling him. He didn't bother to respond, but immediately turned to the right. He drove for another thirty feet, and came over a crest. Sure enough, there were the two pigs. They were rolling around in a mud pool, squealing and snorting happily.

"Here piggies! Want some corn?" Rubble asked, lowering his rig's bucket.

Nothing happened.

"C'mon!" Rubble shouted, "Don't you want some corn?" The impatient Bulldog slammed his paw down in anger. The pigs seemed to not take any notice, continuing to just lay in the mud. Emma's ear twitched lazily, almost as if laughing at Rubble's dilema. In response, the Bulldog slowly got out of his rig. He grabbed an ear of corn from his rig's bucket, and walked towards the pigs. "Here pigs! Want some corn?" he yelled, getting closer and closer. He stopped right on the edge of the mud pool, trying to wave the corn out as far as he could.

Still nothing.

"Dang it! Come here pigs!" he yelled yet again. This time it seemed to get their attention. They slowly turned to the Bulldog, seeing the massive stack of corn.

With squeals of delight, they chased after Rubble, who briskly, but carefully, lured the pigs toward the barn.

"Hey, Ryder!" Rubble said into his pup-tag.

" _I'm here, Rubble. Go ahead,"_ Ryder responded.

"I'm bringing the pigs back to the barn. They really want this corn!"

" _That's great, Rubble! Rocky and I have the pen fixed, so bring 'em home!"_

"Rubble on the double!"

* * *

Rocky drilled in the last screw just as Rubble appeared from the forest, pigs running behind him. "Just in time!" Rocky called, swinging open the gate. Rubble grinned, turning into the pen. He drove to the far side before dumping the corn in his rig's bucket. As soon as Emma and Corny dove in snout-first, Rubble reversed out. Rocky closed the pen, latching it shut.

"Looks like a job well-done! Thanks, Ryder. You saved the day again!" Farmer Yumi said.

"No problem, Farmer Yumi," Ryder replied. "Just remember, if you're ever in trouble…"

"Just yelp for help!" Rocky finished, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.

"Well," Ryder started, "I guess it's time we got back to the Lookout. Marshall and Zuma are probably bored out of their minds." Rocky giggled at the statement. The two most energetic pups being left to do nothing for a few hours.

"We're probably going to get assaulted when we get there, Ryder," Rocky said.

"Probably," the boy admitted. "We can just send Skye and Rubble in first."

" _I heard that,"_ a voice said over Rocky's pup-tag, " _and I vote Rubble goes first. I'm not wrestling those two boys if I can avoid it."_ The Mixed-Breed and his owner giggled at the sheer amounts of venom in the feminine voice. " _Laugh it up, why don't you,"_ Skye continued, " _last time I swear they were gonna crush me when we got back."_

Rocky couldn't help but take a jab at his friend. "Was that the time when Marshall tried to mou-"

" _You finish that statement and I'll be sure_ YOU _can't do it to your girl, if you can even find one."_ That promptly shut Rocky up. Ryder laughed at his pups antics.

"What did Marshall try and do?" Rubble asked innocently.

" _That's for me to know, and you to leave alone,"_ Skye said, starting to get angry.

"Don't worry, Rubble. I'll let you know when we get back," Rocky answered, making sure to switch his pup-tag off.

" _Rocky, you better not tell Rubble, either. Just because I can't hear anything doesn't mean I don't know what you're doing."_

"I think we should leave this for when we get home, pups," Ryder interrupted, "It's getting late. Marshall and Zuma are probably wondering where we are right now."

"Aw man, I was having fun," Rocky pouted, shoving out his bottom lip.

" _Well_ I _wasn't! I'll see you when you get back to the Lookout."_ Skye's helicopter flew away, just a tad faster than she normally travelled.

"What's her problem?" Rubble asked, genuinely curious. Skye didn't get angry about a lot of things.

Rocky couldn't help but reply as his truck started. "I'll tell you on the way back."

* * *

Skye bristled on her way back to the Lookout. _Of course he brings it up. Of_ course _he does! He has no right! That's between me, Marshall, and Chase._ Skye shook her head as the Lookout came into view. The nerve of some people. Or pups.

She carefully set down in her place on the turntable. She jumped out, barking her helicopter back into her pup house. It would be another twenty-ish minutes before Ryder and the others got back, mostly due to twisting roads and low speed-limits. Another reason flying was better than driving.

Moving cautiously, Skye made her way to the Lookout doors. She walked in slowly, making sure neither Marshall nor Zuma was in the room. Their naivety had led to some...uncomfortable, experiences for Skye in the past. Well, for everyone. Thankfully, though, they weren't in the main area of the Lookout. The small Cockapoo let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

She let herself fall onto one of the cushions that were scattered near the TV. Even though she was doing what she loved, helping the PAW Patrol, didn't mean that it was tiring.

"Oh, thank goodness you'we hewe!" Zuma shouted. Skye jumped, and nearly hit the ceiling. She almost started to run, but realized Zuma wasn't getting near her. Thankfully, Zuma was too excited to notice. "Skye, you wouldn't believe who twied to catch us!"

Skye tilted her head in confusion. "'Catch' you? What?"

"Just follow me!"

* * *

"...and that's why we don't bring it up around Skye. _Ever._ I'm surprised she was as calm as she was."

" _How did that even happen in the first place, Rocky?"_ Rubble asked.

"I don't know," Rocky lied. "He was probably just super excited. I read in a book once that apparently us pups do it when we get excited. I thought it was just humans being humans."

" _But Ryder's a-"_

"I know. He probably knew, which is probably why he wasn't angry. I don't get why humans observe us. It's not like we observe _them_."

" _We observe Ryder. Remember when he said-"_

"Please don't repeat that, Rubble. Ryder was stressed and tired. We all go a little crazy when we get tired.

" _But, you didn't let me-"_

"Oh, look! It's the Lookout! I don't know about you, but I'm starved!" Rocky quickly shut off his pup-tag, glad that he avoided that near-catastrophe. He quickly parked his truck, and ran inside. He wanted to avoid having to explain anymore to Rubble. The pup was too curious for his own good.

The Mixed-Breed stepped inside the Lookout and froze. In the center of the room, paws tied up, and gagged, was Sweetie.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry about leaving this story alone for almost a year. Being honest, I kinda lost the desire to write. I'm gonna finish this story, and then probably go silent for a while. I am working on another story, but I'm waiting until I finish writing it to post it. Now, it's probably going to take a while to finish it, but I will get to it. I just feel like this fandom is slowly dying as nearly every kind of story is being written, and writers of the old guard are starting to leave. Who knows, this fandom might be revived within the year, or it could fade away. But, I figured I may as well finish this, as it is more popular than I would've thought it would be, for such a random idea it was at the time. Anyways, hopefully I can get the next chapter out before the end of the month. Until then, this is TheMattdude signing off!_**


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